Tips to Help Your Dump Truck Pass DOT Compliance

Everyone’s been there: that dreaded moment when you have to face a DOT inspector. From truckers, to contractors and material producers the industry has to comply with these DOT dump truck regulations in order to make the heavy construction industry as safe as possible.

When you’re thinking about how to best go about making sure your dump truck is DOT compliant, you need to make sure you’re fully aware of what the dump truck DOT requirements are. Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to ensuring your dump truck is ready to go. DOT inspectors respect owners and drivers who care about safety regulations and DOT requirements for dump trucks.

Tip #1: Know What Authority You Need

Depending on the state, you may need different levels of authority. Always check with your state first. A best practice, however, is to apply for and receive your federal DOT number and authority.  

• Federal DOT allows you and your customers to track your company’s safety record and compliance.
• Motor Carrier Authority, which identifies the kind of trucking business you operate and other details like which materials you’re permitted to haul.

You could get both numbers by registering your company to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

You must complete the Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150) and Safety Certification Application in order to acquire these numbers. You’ll receive both of them after the application is filed. However, don’t jump the gun yet. Your application will still need to be reviewed by the FMCSA. This review includes a dispute period when your application is posted to the Federal Register for 10 business days. This is to check-in with anyone who’s contested with your application for authority. 

Tip #2: Performing a Daily Inspection

To ensure uptime and avoid small issues that can tie you up in a DOT Inspection, perform a good daily walk-around inspection. If items are found to be deficient during a DOT inspection, it can cost you thousands of dollars and put your safety rating in jeopardy. Things happen while your truck sits idle, so don’t be surprised during an inspection. Do your walkarounds every day. There’s no real way to know unless you are running through your truck DOT inspection checklist daily and ensuring each point is crossed off.

A sample inspection list of your daily walk-around could look like:

Click on the link below to download this DOT compliance checklist as a PDF. 

Tip #3: Listen to Your Truckers

It’s likely that while they’re on the road, your drivers are monitoring the performance of your dump truck. Who else knows it better? Drivers take pride in knowing how the dump truck is functioning and they have a vested interest in it operating safely. If they’ve expressed concern to you, listen to them when they speak up. They’re looking out for you and everyone on the road.

TRUX Enables Better Dump Trucking Decisions

Contact us for more essential tips to help your dump truck pass DOT compliance with ease and get more work for your trucks. Reach for your phone and put your trust in TRUX, a logistics management software app that gives you automatic digital invoicing, pays you weekly, increases your profits, digitizes your records, and allows you to track your fleet. 

We even partner with outside agencies to provide our community with deals from safety services. Check out TRUX's products to stay on top of items that will keep your dump truck up and running safely.